Chapter 26

The Powers that Be returned. They broke down into their constituent parts and sat upon a high bench as if they were court judges.

Seven stood. "By the powers invested in me from on high."

One of the members of the Cassandra Cartel stood. "I object. There are no gods and therefore there can be no investiture."

"You think not?" Seven said. "I shall present you with a performance of said powers."

From her seat she tore him asunder ... quartered is the word used ... but he did not die. She rejoined him.

"Convinced?"

"No. It is but a illusionists trick. I am whole. Although the condition felt uncomfortable," he said.

She waved a hand and pustulant sores and weeping boils broke out all over his face. She left him like that. He objected.

"Well, what would convince you?"

"I want a bigger cock and sex-drive. Do that and I might."

So ... Seven sighed and endowed him with a cock and balls he had to carry around in a wheelbarrow. It wasn't exactly what he wanted ... but she left him like that. He leered at the Caretakers and they ran screaming from him.

"Oh God." He said, "This is not quite what I meant."

"Thank you," said Seven. "This tribunal is now in session. Six, present your findings."

"Thank you, your Honor." He threw back his robes like an English Barrister, picked up a book that looked like the tax regulations of the IRS, and everyone groaned.

He began, "Elisabeth Sophie was born to Frederick William the First, Brandenburg and Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg- Glucksburg. She married (29 April 1691) her cousin, Duke Frederick Casimir Kettler of Courland (1650–1698). The marriage was arranged as an alliance between the two families; in 1703 her brother Albert Frederick was to marry her first husband's daughter, Mary Dorothea. When her husband died in 1698, Elisabeth Sophie became joint guardian-regent along with her former brother-in-law Ferdinand. In January 1701, Elisabeth Sophie left Courland, her son and stepdaughter for her brother's court in Berlin. In 1703, she was formally deprived of the custody of her son and the regency.

"She married Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (6 August 1644 – 20 May 1712) on 30 March 1703 in Potsdam. She is said to have dominated him completely and directed his policy in a pro-Prussian direction. He gave her the palace Markgräfliches Schloss Erlangen, which was named after her. She was described as proud and a great lover of pomp and ceremony. Her expenses had a bad effect on the finances of the state. After a period of mourning: "She married on 3 June 1714 to Ernst Ludwig the First Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1672–1724).

"The aforementioned are Germans, Prussians and Dutch ... alliances settled by marriage.

"A few of the Tzars of Russia ... in particular Moscow ... married the descendants of German, Polish Prussians. Alliances.

"George of England was himself German as was his wife. But, there are numerous instances of the second class of English royalty marrying French Aristocrats. The French, themselves, married Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Hungarian wives ... treaty hostages ... with no love lost between them.

"The English had two uses for heroic figures. Knight them or send them into the breach commanding the "Forlorn Hope." The Forlorn Hope were men who seldom lived through an assault. The most heroic of their leaders generally died in the attack. This was a great savings for the Empire. Knighthood required a Royal Benison ... land, houses, and people plus the monies to support it. A Colonel of Marines was paid £1200 a year with no duties. Colonel of Marines was one of the gifts of knighthood.